About The Isle of Jersey, Channel Islands

Jersey is the largest
and southernmost of the Channel Islands, about 14 miles off the coast
of Normandy, France. It is an oblong block of granite four to five miles
wide and about nine miles long. It has been continuously inhabited from
about 2000 BC and has a wealth of history - neolithic tombs, magnificent
castles, Napoleonic towers and fortifications from German occupation during
World War ll. The Poindexters have a history here that dates back as early
as 1250 with mentions of the name before that.

Jersey has been an Island for
8,000 years. The Normans made the greatest impact on the Channel Islands
when Jersey, Gurensey, and the other islands were part of the Duchy of Normandy in the 9th through 10th Centuries.
When the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, gained the English crown
in 1066 the Channel Islands became part of the Anglo-Norman realm. To
this day the reigning monarch in England is titled the "Duke
of Normandy" in Jersey. Queen Elizabeth II visited Jersey in 2005 to mark the 60th anniversary of Liberation after World War II Occupation.

In 1204 King John lost Normandy
to the French and the islanders had to choose: stay with Normandy or remain
loyal to the English crown. They chose the latter and gained rights and
privileges which to this day are not subject to the British Parliament
but only to the Queen - or King - in council.

The constitutional relationship
with the UK is the product of 900 years of custom and usage and is not
affected by changes of government in the UK. This relationship has been
confirmed by Royal Charters which over the centuries secured the independence
of the Island's judicial system from the English courts and granted important
privileges including freedom from UK taxes.

Over the centuries the island
has fought off many invasions. In 1781 "The Battle of Jersey"
took place when French troops attempted to take over the island under
Baron du Rullecourt. A young English officer Major Pierson led the local
militia to victory in the battle that took place in Jersey's Royal Square.
During WWII the Channel Islands were the only part of Great Britain to
be occupied by the Germans from 1940-1945.

The official language of Jersey
is English, however, Jersey French is the native language of the Island
and is a blend of Norse and Norman French. It is still spoken in the country
districts. Until the 1960's French was still the official language of
Jersey and to this day is still used by the court and legal professions.
The dialect itself is called Jèrriais and those who speak it are
called Jèrriais.

History of Jersey

The Jersey Tourism web site provides a good overview of Jersey's 1000 years of history.

Learn more about
Jersey. We have collected links to make it easy for you to find web
sites about Jersey. Included are links to web sites about Jersey genealogy,
tourism and history. There is even a WebCam view overlooking St. Aubin's
Bay an Bulwarks, with St. Aubin's Fort in the bay and Elizabeth Castle
off in the far distance.